The greatest basketball player in NBA History turns 52 today! Brooklyn’s own Michael “Jeffrey” Jordan is still one of today’s most marketable athletes and celebrity figures, even though he hasn’t played a game of meaningful basketball since 2003.

A talent unlike anything we’ve ever seen, his “Air-ness” still leaves fans in complete disbelief whenever his accolades or highlights are revisited. So in honor of the legendary man himself, we’ve compiled a short montage of his greatest dunks of all-time.

Football great Warren Sapp was arrested for soliciting a prostitute last night in Phoenix.

According to ABC 15, Sapp, 42, was this morning (February 2) and charged with two counts of assault and one count of soliciting a prostitute. Police state that the Hall-of-Famer met two women in a hotel lobby before taking them up to his room. But when they started talking money, an argument and physical altercation occurred and made its way into the hallway around 2:30 a.m.

Sapp was in Phoenix covering the Super Bowl as an analyst for the NFL Network. He has officially been suspended by the network after his arrest. He has been working with the network since 2008.

]]>http://chicagodefender.com/2015/02/02/nfl-hall-of-famer-warren-sapp-arrested-after-super-bowl/feed/0redward298(Photo: ABC)French Montana Is Better At Bowling Than He Is At Rappinghttp://chicagodefender.com/2015/02/02/french-montana-is-better-at-bowling-than-he-is-at-rapping/
http://chicagodefender.com/2015/02/02/french-montana-is-better-at-bowling-than-he-is-at-rapping/#commentsMon, 02 Feb 2015 20:06:27 +0000http://chicagodefender.com/2015/02/02/french-montana-is-better-at-bowling-than-he-is-at-rapping/]]>French Montana might just be the best rapping bowler of all time. The emcee recently hit ESPN’s celebrity tournament and he came out the victor.

Chris Paul was another celebrity who competed in the event.

In fact, ESPN aired this instead of a game between the Lakers and Knicks.

The New England Patriots are NFL champions with a four-point win punctuated by on-field fighting after their surprising win over the Seattle Seahawks.

The win marks the fourth Super Bowl win for Patriots coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady. The pair has appeared in six Super Bowls.

The game was swung on New England’s 10-play, 64-yard fourth quarter drive capped by a touchdown pass from Tom Brady to Julian Edelman with 2:02 left on the game clock. That play gave the Patriots their final lead. A tipped pass caught by Seahawks wide receiver Jermaine Kearse that was eerily similar to David Tyree’s game-winning catch in Super Bowl XLII put Seattle in striking distance to make a comeback. But rookie cornerback Malcolm Butler sealed the win for the Patriots with an interception of Russell Wilson’s pass.

‘I had a vision I was gonna make a big play and it came to fruition,’ Butler told NBC’s Michele Tafoya.

The Patriots win with the mild controversy of ‘Deflategate’ over them, after the team was flagged for under-deflated balls en route to a win over the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship. Patriots owner Robert Kraft remained defiant after the game, telling Tafoya, ‘Our people didn’t touch the balls.’

Tom Brady won the Most Valuable Player award, completing 37 of 50 pass attempts with four touchdowns and two interceptions. Brady is now the NFL leader in touchdown passes after surpassing Joe Montana’s record of 11 TD passes.

Serena conquered the Australian Open for the first time since 2010 with a win over Maria Sharapova in straight sets. There was little doubt Serena would win and her quest to become the greatest of all time was too much for her rival. At times the match was intense, but Serena knows her opponent too well and edged out Sharapova 6-3, 7-6. With this being Sharapova’s 16th loss in a row to the champ, you could say Serena takes her lunch money for a living.

Even though Serena is clearly a legend, she is still chasing history. She was tied with two previous greats for a short time at 18 championships, and winning the Aussie Open places her at 19. To become the greatest she will have to win four more to break the record. If Serena remains healthy for the next few years, it will not be long before she hits 23 trophies.

For now Serena can enjoy the 3.1 million dollars she gets for winning. Can you say on top of the world? Congrats to the queen.

]]>http://chicagodefender.com/2015/01/31/serena-williams-wins-the-2015-australian-open-her-19th-major-championship/feed/0redward298serena wimbledon 2012Sneak-Peek At The Super Bowl Commercials Before The Big Gamehttp://chicagodefender.com/2015/01/30/sneak-peek-at-the-super-bowl-commercials-before-the-big-game/
http://chicagodefender.com/2015/01/30/sneak-peek-at-the-super-bowl-commercials-before-the-big-game/#commentsFri, 30 Jan 2015 21:14:18 +0000http://chicagodefender.com/2015/01/30/sneak-peek-at-the-super-bowl-commercials-before-the-big-game/]]>Part of the Super Bowl fun lies in the big game’s ads. Every year, much is said and done about the commercials that run during the Super Bowl and sometimes they even get more love than the game.

This year, the fun continues as big game ads continue to wow Super Bowl viewers. Only now, we can preview some of these ads online prior to game day. Here’s a look at some of this year’s biggest Super Bowl commercials.

Kim Kardashian: T-Mobile

Kim Kardashian pokes fun at herself and her public image with this self-centered ad that also plays up on her selfie game. Nothing like a little depreciating Kardashian humor.

The Brady Bunch: Snickers

Danny Trejo and Steve Buscemi may not have been stars of “The Brady Bunch.” But in this ad for Snickers, the two do a great job of playing Marsha and Jan. It’s a great laugh and a cool trip back in time to a classic comedy.

Snoop Dogg & Hanger: EAT24

Okay, so maybe Snoop Dogg and Gilbert Gottfried isn’t the combo you were looking for. But you have to admit it’s interesting. Here’s a look at the comedy they cooked up for EAT24.

Pay With Lovin’: McDonalds

Imagine going up to pay for your McDonald’s order and being told you don’t have to pay with a credit card or with cash. Instead, you have to talk about someone you love. Sounds amazing? Well, here’s what happens in a heart warming ad that may make you call a loved one.

Pierce Brosnan: Kia

When you see Pierce Brosnan, you basically think about James Bond, right? Well, here’s another look at Bond in action. Does Bond drive a Kia? Well, not really, but Brosnan might, especially if you promise fire works.

Terminator Genisys

Okay, so we knew Arnold Shwarzenegger would be back, but he’s come back to the Terminator series yet again. This ad is of course meant to promote the latest Terminator film and yes, Arnold returns for this one, too.

Katie Couric & Bryant Gumbel: BMW

Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric bring history to this ad. So, you know the Internet, right? You’re on it every day. You basically live on it. But back in the day (it may seem like prehistoric times, but it wasn’t that long ago), no one really knew what the Internet was. Here, Couric and Gumbel analyze the wonders of the interwebs and technology while rolling in style.

NFL Stars: WIX.com

Terrell Owens, Brett Favre and Emmett Smith may not be in this year’s Super Bowl, but they are set to be in this big game ad. Here’s a look at life after the NFL.

Mindy Kaling: Nationwide

What if you were invisible? Would you steal a bunch of ice cream? Sunbathe while naked? Shower in a car wash? Well, that’s what Mindy Kaling decided to do here.

Hot Tub Time Machine 2

Guess it’s time for another Hot Tub Time Machine. The second installment of the film is due February 20 and here’s the film’s big game ad.

Budweiser: Clydesdale

If you have a choice between two different types of beers, Budweiser wants you to know it’s not much of a choice. To prove their point, they sent out their beloved Clydesdales.

Real Life Pac Man: Bud Light

The Big Game apparently made Bud Light think of an old school game. So, they set out to create a real life Pac Man game. The classic arcade game came to life in a night club setting and one lucky guy got to run through it as if he was Pac Man.

Fable: Mercedes Benz

Here’s a Mercedes Benz twist to the old tortoise and the hare tale. Apparently, we’ve been lied to our whole lives about how this fable goes.

Mophie

If you feel like you’re powerless without your phone being charged, this ad may speak to your heart. Insanity ensues without your phone being properly charged, right? Here’s what happens when the man upstairs is faced with that same problem.

“How Great I Am”: Toyota

Amy Purdy shows us how great she is while Muhammad Ali’s iconic words echo throughout this ad. Want inspiration? You’ve found it.

It’s been decade since the Patriots’ last Super Bowl win, the Belichick-Brady led squad is back in the big game for a third time since that 2004 season. While this latest run has been mired by the attention that #deflategate garnered over the last two weeks—the admittedly hilarious press conferences, condemnation for more Belichick cheating, and then scientific vindication from some physicists—the Pats seem as ready as ever. With a formidable opponent in the reigning Super Bowl champs the Seattle Seahawks, Super Bowl XLIX is a well-earned matchup.

With all of that in mind, here’s a short survival fan for Patriots fans watching the game this Sunday:

Avoid The Conspiracy Theories, Watch The Game!

“The other Patriots conspiracy theory: LeGarrette Blount’s scheme to reunite with Bill Belichick?” That’s the latest headline from Yahoo! Sports’ coverage of the Patriots. #deflategate will still be much-talked about on Sunday, and there’s always something else too. Avoid it all and just watch the game!

Madden 2015 Predicts The Patriots Win By Four

A couple days ago EA Sports let loose its annual Super Bowl Madden simulation. The simulation has a strong prediction record at 8-3 and the latest one has the Pats winning 28-24 after trailing 24-14 in the third quarter.

Wear That Brady Jersey

This one seems obvious, but if you got it, wear it. Who knows how much longer Brady will be playing…as a Patriot. A recent New York Times profile paints the Patriots’ lone superstar as a bit of a bizarro health nut bent on playing well into his 40’s, but Belichick has been unceremonious about shipping off key players over the years.

It’s hard to imagine, but after his contract is up in 2017, Brady could end up elsewhere. And while the Pats can stay competitive through it all, Super Bowl appearances might not always come around so often. Enjoy Brady while he’s still at his best.

Pete Carrol Got The NFL To Help His Defense Against The Patriots

Pete Carroll: after #Seahawks asked, NFL will have officials give new signal to defense when NE has eligible numbers as ineligible receivers

Let that sink in. Right before the biggest game of the season, the NFL has announced that, per Seattle’s request, it will implement a new signal to help the defense identify when an eligible receiver is lined up as ineligible.

Belichick’s shuffling of eligible and ineligible receivers by changing up the team’s offensive formations right before the snap made waves during a few recent games, most notably in the form of angry comments from Ravens coach John Harbaugh. (Harbaugh said some of the Patriots’ offensive plays were “deceptive.”)

Either way, the last-minute rule change is an obvious “gimmie” to Seahawks coach Pete Carrol’s request, but there’s nothing to be done about it now.

Who Just Scored That Touchdown?

The Patriots are known as a collectivist football team. Aside from Tom Brady and a handful of other stars the franchise draws attention as a team more so than as individuals. Every now and then, that means an unexpected touchdown from a relative unknown.

As a fan, there’s something gleeful about watching a guy like Nate Solder, a 6’8”, 320 lb. offensive lineman, catch a Brady TD in the AFC Championship. Hopefully someone like Solder gets a similar look on Sunday. Of course, maybe Julian Edelman will throw another touchdown as a part of a trick play.

Bet On Blount

Blount is back. After playing for the Pats briefly in 2013 the Steelers picked up the originally undrafted running back who came into the league in 2010. Blount came back to New England earlier this season and in the seven games that he’s been wearing #29 again he’s scored six touchdowns. In that AFC Championship blowout Blount had 30 carries for 148 yards and three TDs. Expect the Pats to try and get him going early.

The Pats Are A Fourth Quarter Team

Tom Brady has had 34 fourth-quarter comebacks and 45 game-winning drives in his NFL career. Lets hope it doesn’t come to that but it’s worth keeping in mind if that Patriots are trailing through the game.

Richard Sherman Might Not Play

The Patriots will have one of the league’s best cornerbacks staring down the offense…maybe. Richard Sherman and his girlfriend are apparently just days away from having their first baby. If the child is born on Sunday Sherman might have a big decision ahead of him. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” Sherman said. “We’re not thinking about the possibility.”

The 2015 NBA Dunk Contest participants were recently announced, and just like the previous years, LeBron James‘ name was nowhere to be found. And although this year’s list doesn’t jump out at you like the 2014 participants list, don’t think you’ll be sold short on high-flying entertainment.

Leading the pack for these young high-risers is Victor Oladipo of the Orlando Magic. The 6’4 combo guard was a participant in the Skills Competition last year, but will be making his dunk contest debut in 2015. ‘Dipo will also enter the electrifying event as one of the favorites to take home the crown. And with Vic being the shortest player in the competition, he’ll undoubtedly have the upper-hand if he can pull off some amazing dunks.

Another exciting participant in the contest is one of the most intriguing prospects to hit the National Basketball Association, in GiannisAntetokounmpo. The Milwaukee Bucks Small Forward affectionately known as “Alaphabet” will have all eyes on him, as he’s taken the league by storm since his emergence as a rookie last season.

And the last two competitors are possibly the most eager of the bunch.

While Mason Plumlee may be the darkhorse in this race, Zach LaVine may be the last man standing in the end. The 6’5 Minnesota Timberwolves swingman has been wow-ing fans since his pre-draft workouts, so he’ll have all eyes on him on Saturday, February 14.

The contest will also be back to the original rules. There will be a panel of five judges scoring each dunk on a scale of six to 10. Each participant will get two dunks in the first round, with the two players receiving the highest combined score for their attempts moving on to the finals.

It sounds like the Dunk Contest is finally getting back to how it used to be. Maybe this will encourage more of the stars in the league to participate in the future. For now, take a look at the rising talent that’ll be attempting to blow fans away with their high-flying acrobatics.

NBA All-Star weekend opens February 13-15, with events at the Barclays Center and Madison Square Garden.